Improved tanning-vat



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JESSE s. WHEAT, or WHEELING, VIRGINIA.

IMPRovI-:D TANNINe-VAT.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 35,79 7, dated July 1, 18.62.

` To all whom, it may concern.'

Vcated by the line a: x, Fig. 2. Fig. 2 is a plan or top view of the same.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the two figures.

This invention consists in4 constructing the shell of the vat with tongued and grooved joints and iron bolts running through the plank on the side of the tongues for the purpose of drawing the joints up tight whenever it becomes necessary.

It consists, also,in the arrangement of a series of framed timbers around the sides and on the ends of the vat with iron bolts or stirrups running through them crosswise and lengthwise of the vat in such a manner that the whole structure can be drawn together either sidewise or endwise, and at the same time the timbers which run across the man-holes and retain `the manhole covers can be removed and replaced at pleasure.

To enable those skilled in the art to make and use my invention, I will proceed to describe its construction and operation,with reference to the drawings.

The shell A of my vat is made of planks a, which are fitted together by tongues and grooves b, as clearly shown in Fig. l of the drawings. By these means the joints between the several planks can be drawn up tight whenever desired, and the timber will preserve its full strength,or nearly so.

In order to increase the strength ofV the vat and to render the same capable of resisting any pressure to which it may be subjected, a series of framed timbers, B B G, are arranged on the outside of the shell A, and secured to it by means of. bolts or stirrups dd e. The timbers B are placed across the top and bottom of the shell sntticiently farapart to ad Init between them the ends of the timbers B', and their ends extend beyond the edges of the shell, so as to afford room for the bolts d. The timbers B are placed on the sides of the shell A, and their ends alternate with the ends of the timbers B, as clearly shown in Fig. 2. They are secured by bolts d', which pass through their ends, and which are fastened by means of nuts like the bolts d. The timbers BX and BX on the corners are interlocked by means of Inortises, and they are fastened together and tightened up by means of Wedges f and by bolts (ZX clx. The ends of the shell are strengthened by timbers C, which are secured by wedges g and bolts e. The several bolts d d e are situated on Vthe outside of the shell A, close to its sides, and they extend lengthwise and crosswise, so that by tightening said bolts the several sidesof the vat can be drawn up tight.

D are the man-holes,which are situated nnder the timbers BXX, and which are closed by covers h. The screw-Shanks i, which serve to draw the covers up tight, extend through the timbers B BX and through bridges j, and nuts 7c 7c serve to fasten the covers. The nuts'k bear directly `on the timbers BX* and the nuts k on the bridges j, and when it is desired'to open said covers the timbers BXX have to be removed. This is accomplished by taking ott' the nuts from the ends of those bolts which pass through the ends of said timbers, and by; unscrewing the nuts L the bridges can be taken off, and if now the nuts Ware/gradually unscrewed, the timbers BXX can be taken off and the covers can be removed. To prevent the bolts dXX,which pass through the ends ot timbers BXX, from dropping down when said timbers are taken off, and to facilitate the operation of replacing the timbers, said bolts are made to pass through lugs Z,that are secured to the sides of the shell or between two of the timbers B', and additional nuts,m,retain the bolts until the timbers BXX are replaced. The manholes can thus be opened without disturbing anyI other bolts but those passing through the ends of the timbers Bm, and these timbers can be removed and replaced without difficulty.

By this combination of the framed timbers B B G with the shell A, a tanning-vat is produced which is perfectly tight and which is capable of resisting a considerable pressure.

Having thus fully described my invention,

constructed and operating as and for the purl what I claim as new, and desire to secure by nation with the shell A, as and for -the pur- Letters Patent, :isn pose speeied.

1. The arrangement. of the iron bolts @,rnn- 3. The lugs Z under the timbers Bmmhieh ning through the planks a of the shell A, in pass over the man-holes, in combination withcombinabion with the tongues and grooves I), bolts d, as and for the purpose seb forth.

JESSE S. WHEAT.

Vitnesses:

W. H. C. PAYNE, ALEX. Q. EOFF.

pose described. A

2. The arrangement of the framed timbers B B C and bolts 0r sbirrups el cl e, in c0rnbi 

